Bunch softening and shaping mechanism for cigar machines



8 1944. H. H. WHEELER 2,356,636

BUNCH SOFTENING AND SHAPING MECHANISM FOR CIGAR MACHINES Filed Oct 8, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 fig].

IN\.IENTOR BY ATTORNEY.

Aug. 22, 1944. H. 'H. WHE LER BUNCH SOFTENING AND SHAPING MECHANISM FOR CIGAR MACHINES 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 8, 193a lllllll INVENTOR BY fl/Iryflfh Zee/er MS. W

ATTORNEY us- 1944. H. H. WHEELER 2,356,636-

BUNCH SOFTENING AND SHAfING MECHANISM FOR CIGAR M ACHINES Filed 001;. 8, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 66 4f INVENTOR finrj fifmeeler ATTORNEY Aug. 22, 1944. WHEELER BUNCH SOFTENING AND SHAPING MECHANISM FOR CIGAR MACHINES Filed Oct. 8. 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Aug. 22, 1944 BUNCH SOFTENING AND SHAPING MECHA- NISM FOR CIGAR MACHINES Henry H. Wheeler, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to International Cigar Machinery Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application October 8, 1938, Serial No. 234,001

31 Claims.

This invention relates to bunch softening and shaping mechanisms for cigar machines, its main object being to provide improved devices which will enable the machine to work equally well with long or short filler tobacco. A further object is to provide a novel bunch transfer which can be used either with straight or curved rolling tables to deliver the cigar bunches to the bunch softener in properly aligned position.

Another object is to improve the operation of the bunch softener so that the manipulated bunch will not be released until it has been gripped by the transfer which carries it to the bunch trimming and inserting unit.

The bunches are delivered by the rolling apron into the first bunch transfer which inserts them into a softening device in which they are rolled by a revolving drum on a resiliently supported cradle. From the latter they are discharged into the second transfer which conveys them to the bunch locator and the trimming and inserting device. This device consists of a pair of relatively movable jaws coacting to compress the bunch and support it in a position aligned with one of the pockets of the shaping turret. One of the jaws is provided with trimming members such that when a bunch is ejected therefrom by a plunger which conforms to the shape of the bunch, the ends of the cigar bunch are trimmed to a size slightly shorter than the length of the shaper pocket as the same is advanced past the trimmers into an open pocket of the shaping turret.

Still another object is to enclose the operating mechanisms of the bunch softener drum, the bunch transfers, the bunch locators, and the bunch trimming and inserting device in a housing from which protrudes a counter shaft joumalled within the housing and driving the drum, transfers, locators, and trimming and inserting device. The protruding shaft end is provided with a single jaw clutch or the like whereby it may be driven in a single predetermined timed relationship with the main drive of the machine to assure operation of the transfers, the locator and the trimming and inserting device at the proper time to transmit a bunch to the open pocket of the shaper turret. Accordingly the housing and its enclosed mechanisms constitute a sub-assemblage which may be readily detached from the machine to permit repairs and reconnected in the same properly timed relationship.

A similar object is to enclose the mold turret and its indexing and cover operating and ejecting mechanisms in a housing from which proor the like adapted to be coupled to the main -drive of the cigar machine in a single predetermined timed relationship such that its pockets will be successively advanced into position to receive bunches from the trimming and inserting device and shape them to the desired contour while advancing them to the ejecting station to be transported to the wrapping mechanism at predetermined intervals. Likewise the mold turret housing constitutes a sub-assemblage which may be readily removed for repairs and reconnected in properly timed relationship.

The bunch shap'er is provided with a plurality of pockets each having a cover which is adapted to be swung away from the pocket for loading and then be drawn down into the same with a linear movement for shaping a bunchpositioned therein. The linear movement of the cover permits use of a cover which fits the pocket exactly and hence shapes it perfectly. The shaper pockets are closed at the head or both ends and fully conform to the desired shape of cigar, the internal contour of the covers being complementary to that of the pockets to fully enclose and shape the head and tuck end, also if desired.

Each of the covers is provided at its ends with arms extending along the sides of the turret for oscillatory and radial movement relative thereto, and the arms are permanently connected to the turret. The operation of the P cket covers is effected by means of suitable cams, to remove the covers while the successive covers are approaching said station. At the conclusion of the shaping period, which takes up three-fourths of one revolution of the turret, the pockets are opened by movement of the covers outward and to one side of each pocket, and the shaped bunches are transferred by suitable means to the wrapping mechanism. Accordingly, a bunch may be inserted into the pocket at the next station while the bunch is being removed at the ejecting station, and a further object is to secure perfect shaping of the bunch for a maximum portion of one machine cycle.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and in which like characters of references indicate the same or like parts:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of the improved cigar bunch softening and shaping mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same on line 2-4 of Fig. 1;

Figure 2a is a sectional end elevation showing the roller adjusting mechanism for the bunch grippers;

Figure 2b is a diagrammatic partial plan view of my bunch grippers and their coaction with the bunch rolling apron and bunch softener;

Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional end elevation on line 4-4 of Fig. 3; r

Fig. 5 is a sectional side o sv Fig. 6 is a top view on line 8-8 of Fig. 1;

Fig.7 is a sectional side elevation on line 1-1 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is an end elevation online 8-8 of Fig. '1;

Fig. 9 is a sectional end elevation on line 9-9 of Fig. '1;

Fig. 10 is a sectional side elevation similar to Fig. 7, showing a modification in the construction of the bunch shaping turret;

Fig. 11 is a sectional end elevation on line II-II of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is an end elevation on. line I2-I2 of elevation on line 5-5 Fig. 10;

Fig. 13 is a cross-section on line I3-I3 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 14 is a cross-section on-line I4-I-4 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 15 is a cross-section on line I5-I5 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 16 is a detail side elevation on an enlarged scale of the rolling table transfer;

Fig. 17 is a detail end elevation of the same viewed from line I1-I1 of Fig. 16;

Fig. 18 is an end elevation on line I8-I8 of Fig. 6, showing a movable suction pipe for removing the scrap from the bunch trimmers;

Fig. 19 is a side elevation of the same seen from line I9-I9 of Fig. 18; and

Fig. 20 is a cross-section on line 28-20 of Fig. 19.

Referring to Fig. 1, the particular embodiment selected to illustrate the improved mechanism consists of a transfer 20 swinging on an oscillatory shaft 2I from position BI at which it receive the bunch B from the apron 22 of the rolling table 23 and delivers it at position B2 to the cradle 24 enclosing the bunch softener drum 25 on shaft 28. A transfer 21 mounted on a swinging arm 28 on a shaft 29 picks up the bunch rolled to position B3 by the softener 25 and carries it to position B4 in which it is axially positioned by locating knurlers 30, whereupon the transfer 21 carries it into position B5 in which a pair of hollowed jaws 3I, 32 carried by arms-33, 34 hinged on a stud 35 in a cam-operated lever 38 move forward and close upon the bunch, and arm 34 swings upward to advance it into position B8 in line with a plunger 31 on a stud 38 carried by a cam-operated lever 39. The said jaws, when closed, form a slideway having the longitudinal contour of the bunch. The plunger, whose face is hollowed out to conform with the desired contour of the upper half of the bunch, advances the bunch out of the said slideway and delivers it into one of the pockets 48 of the shaping turret 4| which intermittently rotates on a shaft 42, the bunch being compressed sufiiciently by the jaws 3|, 32 to enter said pocket and trimmed during delivery to the pocket as hereinafter described.

The operating mechanisms bunch softener 25, cradle 24, tr sfer 21, bunch locator 30, jaws 3|, 32, and plunger 31 are enclosed within a housing 43 (see Figure 2) whose bottom section 44 is detachably aflixed to the base plate ofitlhe transfer 29,.

48 of the cigar machine by suitable screws (not Q shown). For convenience in'assembllng the machine, the housing 43 is made up of a central portion and two end portions. The counter shaft 53 is journalled in and protrudes from the,bottom housing section 44 and carries on its protruding end a female coupling or clutch member I88 having' a radial slot on its outer face adapted to admit a driving tooth of a male clutch member I89 fastened on one end of a stub shaft I90 carrying the bevel gear 52 at its other end, which is driven from the bevel gear 50 on shaft 49, carrying gear 48 driven by pinion 48 on main shaft, 41. Thus the various operating mechanisms enclosed in the housing 43 are driven in a predetermined timed relationship to locate grippers 20 in position toreceive bunches from the rolling table and transmit them to successive pockets of the shaping turret, the position of the slot in the clutch member I88 being predetermined to obtain this relationship. When the bottom section 44 (see Figure 2) of the housing is detached from the base plate 45 the housing may be removed thereby withdrawing clutch member I 88 from engagement with the clutch member I89. After the desired repairs have been effected, the housing may be replaced with its clutch member in coupled relation with the clutch member I89.

The bunch B is rolled within its binder by the apron 22 on table 23 during the forward motion of rolling pin 88 and delivered into the sets of jaw of transfer 20 on shaft 2I, Figs. 1 and 2.

The shaft 2I is slidably mounted in bearings of frame 43 and carries a gear segment 89 and a drum cam 10. With segment 89 meshes a toothed segment 1I mounted on fulcrum shaft 12 and having a roller 13 in engagement with a cam track in one face of cam 51 on shaft 58 (Fig. 2). The motion of arm 1I due to cam 51, causes the jaws of transfer 20 to enter slots in the upper end of the cradle 24 and the circumference of the softener drum 25 (Fig. 2) and deposit the bunch between the cradle and the softener 25, during withdrawal of the transfer jaws.

In Figs. 16 and 17, the rolling table transfer is shown on an enlarged scale. The swinging jaws 20 have forked hubs I 88 pivoted on a stud I81 clamped into jaws I68 which in turn have forked hubs I89 mounted on shaft 2 I. The jaws 20 are each normally pulled against a stop screw I10 in their respective jaws I88 by a torsion spring "I on stud I81 when no cigar bunch is carried by the transfer. The jaws I88 are equipped with torsion springs I12 carried in the bore of a collar I13 clamped to shaft 2I at one side of each gripper unit, whereby the ears I14 thereof are yieldingly held against stop pieces I15 clamped to shaft 2I within the forked hubs I89 thereof, in position to normally support a cigar bunch in a position in parallelism with the axis of shaft 2 I. When used with a curved bunch rolling table the engagement of jaws I88 with the delivery end thereof causes them to rock backwardly and align themselves with the same. Each set of grippers thus assumes a position in parallelism with the cigar bunch delivered from the rolling apron 22 during the forward stroke of the rolling pin 88. As the grippers are swung towards the bunch softener they return to their normal position, thereby realigning the bunch in parallelism with the shaft. This mechanism is shown more clearly in Figures 2b, 16 and 1'7 wherein springs I12 swing each gripper individually back against the edge of rolling table 23 regardless of it angular arrangement relative to the softener 25.

The 'drum 18 engages with a roller 14 adjustabiy-mounted in a slot extending circumferentially of the cam 18 in a portion of the housing concentric with the cam whereby the turning of the cam due to the motion of gear segment 1| causes an axial movement of shaft 2| for the purpose of bringing the bunch carried by transfer 28 into alignment with the softener 25. customarily, to insure firm bunch heads, the latter is preferably placed slightly out of center with the delivery end of the rolling table so that the bunch will be positioned from the head end. The amount of this axial movement may be regulated by adjustment of roller 14 along its slot, to compensate for the different positions at which the bunch will be delivered in the case of straight and curved rolling tables. As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 2a, roller 14 is mounted on stud 14a extending through slot 43a and plate 43b, so that whenever nut 14b is loosened roller 14, stud 14a and plate 43b can be shifted peripherally relative to cam 18 to make the desired adjustment. Thus with a curved table thehead end of the bunch delivered therefrom will be nearer to the head locator 38 than in the case of a straight rolling table. Therefore the bunch in being transferred from a curved table to the softener should be displaced axially sufliciently to bring its head into the proper position relative to the head locator, and the roll 14 should be adjusted to produce a greater axial displacement of the bunch during transference.

The cradle 24 has lugs 15 by which it is resiliently supported somewhat in the manner shown in Patent No. 1,765,831, granted to J. F. Halstead, June 24, 1930, from collar 18 mounted on bars 11 supported in housing 43 and has resilient-rod (not shown) fastened in collar 18 and fixed in the lug, the latter loosely fitting the bars 11. At its delivery end it carries a spring-tensioned finger 18. The finger 18 is raised by the outgoing bunch into the dotted position in-which it guides the bunch into the position B3 within the jaws of transfer 21 which have been previously passed through slots in the finger 18 and assumed positions wherein the tips of the bottom jaws lie within the circumferential slots of the drum 25. As shown in Figure 1, the transfer 21 consists of two jaws 21a, and 21b, which is provided with a bowed bunch holding portion 210, mounted upon stud 28a carried by arm 28. Fixed to arm 2111, which is secured to stud 28a, is one end of a spring, the other end of which is attached to arm 21b loosely mounted on stud 28a to hold the two jaws in relatively movable yielding relationship. An adjusting screw 21d may be used to limit the movement of arm 21b with respect to arm 21a. The arrangement of spring 21c and adjusting screw 21d may be similar to that shown in Rundell Patent No. 1,527,688 granted February 24, 1925. The upper jaws thereof at this time are in the position shown in dotted lines with their tips adjacent the finger 18. The shaft 28 carries a gear segment 18 meshing with a segment arm 88 mounted 43. The shaft 83 carries a pinion 88, and the sleeve 84 is provided with rack teeth 81. The tuck end locator cup 38 is revolubly mounted in a bracket 88 adjustably clamped on a sleeve 88 slidable in bearings 88 of frame 43, the sleeve 88 having rack teeth 8| and carryin a shaft 8 2 which has pinions 83 and 84 fastened to its ends. The pinion 94 through the intermediate gears 85 and 88 drives a gear 81 on the hub of the tuck end locator 38, and the pinions 88 and 83 mesh with a gear 88 on a stud 88 in frame 43. The gear 88 is driven from a gear I88 on shaft 26 whereby the locators 38 are driven continuously in opposite directions. For accurate adjustment of bracket 88, the latter carries a pinion I8I meshing with rack teeth I82 cut into one side of sleeve 88,

on fulcrum shaft 12 and provided with an arm 88a carrying a roller 8| in engagement with a cam track in the other face of cam 58. The motion of cam lever 88 causes the transfer 21 to carry the bunch from position B3 to position B5 after dwelling in the intermediate position B4 to permit accurate axial positioning of the bunch by the locators 38, and then return to the dotted position to pick up the next bunch at position B3.

The head end locator cup 38 (Figs. 3 and 4) is fastened to a nipple 82 pinned to a shaft 83 journaled in a sleeve 84 slidable in bearings 85 of frame so that the turning of the pinion, after loosening the clamp screws I83, moves the bracket to the desired position.

A toothed segment arm I8I fulcrumed on a stud I82 in frame 44 (Fig. 1) and having a cam roller I83 in engagement with a drum cam I84 integral with gear 55 (Fig. 2) engages with a gear I85 on a stud I88 (Figs. 3 and 4) carried by a bracket I81 fastened to the interior of housing 43. A gear I 88 meshes with the rack teeth 81 and 8| in sleeves 84 and 88. The gear I88 is turnably mounted on the hub of gear I85 and is anguiarly adjustable thereon upon unfastening screws I64 passing through arcuate slots I85 in gear I88 and clamping the latter against a shoulder on gear I85, to simultaneously move the locator cups toward or away from each other to compensate for various lengths of bunches. The motion of arm I8I thus causes simultaneous approaching movement of the knurlers 38. The sleeve 88 has fastened thereon a guide arm I88 sliding on a stationary rod I I8 in frame 43 and serving to prevent the sleeve from turning and thus to keep the locators 38 in align! ment.

When the axially adjusted bunch has arrived in position B5, the hinge stud 35 of the jaws 3|, 32 is advanced by cam lever 38 (Figs. 1, 2 and 6) which has a roller I in engagement with a cam track in one face of cam 58, the arm 33 of upper jaw 3| being guided in a slideway formed in frame 43 and retained therein by a cover plate 2. Lower jaw 32 is provided with slots 32a in its free end arranged to admit the grippers of transfer 21. The arm 34 of the lower jaw 32 has an extension 3 carrying a roller 4 which in position 35' of hinge stud 35 engages with a block 5 attached to cover plate H2. As stud 35 is then moved toward its extreme positions'35", the arm 34 is raised and the lower jaw 32 is thereby closed against the upper jaw 3|, the jaw 32 during this movement picking up the bunch from transfer 21 in position B5 and carrying it into position B8. From this position, the plunger 31 attached to stud 38 fastened to a bar H6 guided behind the flange of the arm 33 in the sideway of frame 43 pushes the bunch through the space enclosed by the jaws 3|, 32 and inserts the same into one of the pockets 48 of turret 4|. It may be noted that at the extreme position 35" of the stud, the lower ends of the jaws 3| and 32 will be disposed in the proximity of'the pocket. The plunger 31 is actuated by cam 51 whose other face is provided with a cam track wherein engages a roller II1 carried by an arm of lever 38. Knives I I8 attached to the sides of the lower jaw 32 are raised into the delivery path of the bunch by the held therebetween past knives I I3 into a pocket 40 of the mold turret 4| positioned toreceive the bunch. As shown in Figures 1, 5 and 6, jaw 3| is fixed for sliding movement on slide 330. Jaw 32 is hinged to law 3I and as the slide 330 is moved relative to turret 4|, jaw 32 is swung up into shaping position with respect to Jaw 3I so that the curved shaping faces 3Ia and 32a of the two jaws operate upon the bunch enclosed therebetween and in conjunction with the shaped face 31a of plunger 31 (Figures 5 and 6). The bunch is shaped, trimmed and deposited in a molding pocket 40. Due to the proximity of the jaws to the pocket there is little likelihood of scraps of tobacco escaping from the trimmed ends of the bunch and falling into the pocket and causing misshapen head or tuck ends.

The construction of the bunch shaping turret or endless traveling bunch shaper is shown in Figs. '1 to 9. The turret body 4I which carries the pockets 40 is mounted on end disks H9 and I20 which on their outer faces are provided with radial grooves I2I corresponding to the number of the pockets, The hub of end disk I I9 is fastened on a sleeve 42 revolving in a bearing 2 I 9 of a pedestal I 22 constituting a part of a housing supporting the turret and enclosing its indexing, cover operating and ejector mechanism, and provided with a bottom I23 detachably fastened on the bed plate 45 of the cigar machine by suitable screws (not shown).

The end disk I20 is journaled on a bored stud I24, fixedly attached to a pedestal I25, which is fastened to the housing section I 23, by a taper plug I26 inserted in its split end, Into the sleeve 42, which is fastened within the hub I I9, i inserted a shaft I21 which extends into the bore of stud I24 and has a bearing I20 on the inner end thereof. The shaft I21 has two toothed sections I29 and I30. The sleeve 42 is intermittently driven from shaft 62 journaled in pedestal I22 and protruding from the housing section I23. n the protruding end of shaft 62 is fastened a female clutch member I9I provided with a radial groove on its outer face adapted to admit a driving tooth of male clutch member I92 fastened on one end of a shaft I93 carrying the bevel gear 6| at its outer end. The gear 6| is driven by bevel gear I on shaft 49 and the slot of clutch I9I is arranged to cause the turret'to revolve in properly timed relationship to present successive pockets to the bunch trimming and inserting device for reception of bunches therefrom. Upon unfastening the bolts (not shown) securing the bottom section I23 thereof to the bed plate 45, and disconnecting the clutch members I9I, I92 by sliding one out of clutching relation relative to the other, the turret and the operating mechanisms within the turret housing-may be removed as a unit for repairs and then reassembled in the same timed relation through reengagement of the clutch members I9I and I92. Thus successive pockets of the turret are advanced into position to receive a bunch, by the pinion 63 meshing with the gear 64 on stud 65. One face of the gear 64 is provided with'a cam groove 66 having open ends and adapted to admit in successive revolutions thereof successive rollers of the flanged wheel 61, keyed to sleeve 42, and thereby intermittently advance the turret. This indexing mechanism is similar to that described on page '70 of Ingenious Mechanisms for Designers and Inventors, Franklin D. Jones, The Industrial Press, New York. The number of rollers 66a running in indexing cam groove 66, corresponds to the numshaping position when plunger 31 forces a bunch ber of pockets on the turret, and hence successive pockets will be advanced to bunch receiving position in each revolution of gear 64. The other face of gear 64 has a cam track "I which actuates the mechanism for electing the shaped bunches as will be explained hereinafter.

' In the radial grooves I2I of the end disks Ill and I20 are slidably mounted blocks I32 carrying rollers I33 engaging in cam tracks I34 of housin8 I22 and pedestal I25. To each of the blocks I32 is hinged an arm I35, each pair of these arms carrying a cover I36 for one of the turret pockets 43. As each pocket approaches the bunch ejecting position on top of the turret, the tracks I34 force the blocks I32 of that pocket in the outward direction, thus raising its cover, which, owing to the hinged joint of arms I35, falls backwards on emergence of the arms from the grooves I2I, the block I32 and arm I35 forming each hinged Joint being shaped with complementary square corners I32 and I 35', respectively, at their forward edges, as shown in Fig. 9, to assure that,the cover will only fall backward. For extra precaution, a roller I31 is attached to an arm I38 of housing I22 in such a position as to engage with one of the arms I35 and fold it down upon the turret body 4I during the next forward step of the turret, in case the cover has failed to swing back completely by gravity. The pocket thus is ready to receive the bunch when arriving in loading position B1, whereupon, on the next forward step of the turret, the stationary cam tracks I34 force the blocks I32 inwardly in grooves I2I, thereby drawing the cover I36 back into its pocket. It will be seen that because of the relationship between arms I35 and their respective bars I32, to which they are pivoted, that each cover I36 will be in line with its respective bar I32 whenever a cover I36 mounted on arm I35 is to be drawn into a pocket 40.

While the pocket 40 is dwelling in the top position, the cam track I3I of gear 64 engaging a roller I39 on a toothed segment arm I40 pivoted on a stud MI in frame I22 swings the arm I40 downward. The teeth of the said segment arm, which mesh with the teeth I29 of shaft I21, thereby turn the latter. In mesh with the teeth I30 of shaft I21 are two racks I42 attached to a bar I43 which carries a series of vertical pins I44 arranged to enter perforations in the bottom of the top pocket and engage with 'and lift a bunch therefrom. The racks I42 are guided in sockets I45 of stud I24, the top surface of which is flattened to serve as a support for bar I43 in its down position. Upon turning of shaft I21 by the gear segment I40, the racks I42 are raised, thereby pushing the pins I44 through perforations or holes I46 provided in the turret body 4| and the bottom of the pockets 40. The pins I44, whose tops form a cradle fitting the contour of the bunch, lift the bunch above the periphery of the turret body where it i received by a suitable transfer (not shown) which carries it to the wrapper applying device. Thereupon, the track I3I raises the roller I39, thereby causing the segment I40 to turn shaftv I21 back into its normal position, thus returning the ejector pins I44 into their neutral position shown in Figs. '1 and 8.

In order to remove the clippings from the bunch trimmers I I8, the lower jaw 32 of the bunch compressor is provided at each side with a tubular extension I16 adjacent the triminers to catch the clippings (Figs. 5 and 6), and a pair of suction pipes I11 are placed in such position as to register with the said extensions as the law moves backward afterinsertion of a trimmed bunch into a pocket 40 of the shaping turret 4|. The extensions I'I6 are arranged below the cutting edge of the trimmers II8, so .that the clippings are caught therein and carried awa in the suction pipes I'II as the extensions are swung into register with the same on the upper stroke of the arm 38 during the retreating movement of the jaws 3| and 32.

When the turret shown in Figs. 7 to 9 is employed, the pipe I I1 nearest to the turret, in order not to interfere with the operation of the arms supporting the covers must be movably mounted so as to swing out of the way at the proper moment. For this purpose, the intake section of pipe I", as shown in Figs. 18 to 20, is pivoted by screws I18 to a suction head I19 in the base 45 of the machine, and is actuated by the ejector operating mechanism of the turret. To the hub of segment arm I40 on shaft I is attached a cam piece I80 having a curved slot IOI with which engages a pin I82 projecting through an opening in the adjacent wall of the housing I22 of the turret and carried by a link I83 slidably mounted, by means of a slot I84, on a stud I85 in the housing I22. The link I83 is adjustably attached, by means of an eccentric bolt I86, to a lug I81 affixed to suction pipe I". When the track I3I of cam 64 moves the roller I39 of segment I40 into its upper position I39, the cam piece I80 displaces the pin I82 sufficiently to cause the link I83 to slide inwardly on stud I85 and thereby swing the pipe III back into the dotted position II'I'. Upon turning said bolt, a very fine adjustment of the movement of the pipe III may be obtained to assure approach thereof to the tube extension II6 as close as possible.

A modified construction of the shaping turret is shown in Figs. 10 to 15. Here the turret is indexed in the same way from a cam 66 formed on one face of gear 64, except that the cam track I3I is omitted from the other face gear 64. The turret body M and the end frames or pedestals I22 and I25 likewise are identical, with the exception of additional cam tracks I in the members I22 and I25.

The end disks I48 of the turret M in this case are keyed to a solid shaft I49 which is journaled in frames I22 and I25 and carries the driven member 61 whose rollers enter the indexing cam track. A collar I'I insures against axial displacement. The end disks I48 are provided with radial slots I50 leading into radial grooves I5I in the inside faces of the disks, the slots I50 turning at an angle near the periphery of the disks. The slots I50 serve as guides for pins I52 fast in blocks I53 slid ing in grooves I5I and carrying rollers I54 engaging with the cam tracks I34. To the inner ends of the pins I52 are hinged arms I55 sliding in the grooves I5I and carrying at their outer ends the covers I36 of the pockets 40. The arms I55 at one end of the pockets have a second pin I56 extending into the slots I50, this second pin serving to tilt the arm and thus to fold back the respective cover when the pin I56 enters the angular portion of slot I50 near the periphery of disk I48, the grooves I-5I being suitably flared out at their ends to permit the swinging motion of arms I55.

The present turret, instead of having one single set of ejector pins I44 serving all pockets as before, is provided with a separate set for each pocket. As shown in Fig. 11, each set of ejector pins I44 is attached to a separate bar I58 each of which has axial extensions I59 reaching through the slots I50 in the end disks I48 and carrying rollers I60 engaging with the tracks I 41 in frames I22 and I25. As each pocket approaches the bunch ejecting position, the stationary tracks I41 compel the rollers I60 to raise the respective bar I58 with its pins I44 and thus to lift the bunch B out of the pocket 40, the bar I58 receding into its normal position by the time the pocket has reached its next step which is the loading position.

With both forms of turrets it will be observed that the head ends of the pockets are fully closed to a depth exceeding one half the thickness of the cigar bunch, and with the first described form of turret the tuck ends of the pockets are similarly closed. In each instance the bottoms of the pockets fully conform to the desired contour of the lower half of the bunches and the inner faces of the covers fully conform to the desired contour of the upper half of the bunches. With the removal of the covers radially from the pockets of the mold turret no allowance for clearance is necessary and the cavity in the pocket may fully conform to the desired shape of a cigar bunch.

Some of the structure disclosed herein is claimed in application No. 480,295, filed March 24, 1943.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cigar machine, the combination with a detachable housing, of a countershaft journaled within said housing, a clutch member on said shaft adapted to be connected in a single predetermined timed relationship with the main drive of the cigar machine, bunch manipulating and locating means supported on said housing and driven from said shaft, a primary bunch transfer for delivering cigar bunches to said means, a device supported on said housing and driven from said shaft for trimming bunches and inserting them into successive pockets of a mold turret, a detachable turret housing, a mold turret supported in said housing and provided with pockets adapted to receive bunches from said device, indexing mechanism connected to said turret and adapted to advance pockets thereof successively into position to receive bunches from said device, a pinion shaft journaled within said turret housing and driving said mechanism, a clutch member on said pinion shaft adapted to be connected with the main drive of the machine in a single predetermined timed relationship, and driving clutch members driven from the main drive of the cigar machine and constructed and arranged to be detachably connected to the clutch members on said shafts in predetermined relation to cause manipulation, location, trimming and delivering of the bunches to successive pockets of the turret in properly timed relationship.

2. A cigar machine sub-assemblage comprising a housing, a countershaft journaled within said housing and protruding therefrom, a, clutch member on the protruding portion of said shaft and constructed and arranged to be connected in a single predetermined timed relationship with the main drive of the cigar machine for quick detachability of said entire sub-assemblage as a complete unit, a bunch softener drum supported on said housing and driven from said countershaft, a concave partially surrounding said drum and supported on said housing, a bunch transfer supported on said housing and driven from said countershaft when said clutch is operatively connected to drive said shaft for delivering a cigar bunch between said concave and drum, bunch locators mounted on said housing and driven from said countershaft, and a bunch transfer assaese supported on said housing and driven from said countershaft for transferring bunches from between said concave and drum into the range of action of said locators.

3. A cigar machine sub-assemblage comprising a housing, a countershaft journaled within said housing and protruding therefrom, a clutch memher on theprotruding portion of said shaft and adapted to be detachably connected to the main drive of the cigar machine in a single predetermined timed relationship, a bunch softener drum supported on said housing and driven from said countershaft, a concave partially surrounding said drum and supported on said housing, a primary bunch transfer supported on said housing and driven from said countershaft for delivering a cigar bunch between said concave and drum, bunch locators mounted on said housing and driven from said countershaft, a pocketed mold turret, a device supported on said housing and driven from said countershaft for trimming bunches and inserting them in successive pockets of a mold turret, and a secondary bunch transfer supported on said housing and driven from said countershaft for transporting bunches from between said concave and drum into the range of action of said locators and then to said device.

4. In a cigar machine, the combination with an endless traveling shaper having horizontally positioned pockets whose bottom contour fully conforms to the desired shape of cigar bunches, of hinged relativ ely ,movable members, mechanism for closinggsaid members to compress the bunches transversely to correspond to the width of said pockets, and transport them in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of said pockets to a position adjacent and overlying successive pockets of said shaper, a device for ejecting the compressed bunches from between said members into successive pockets of said shaper, and knives carried by one of said members and coacting with said member for trimming the cigar bunches to a length slightly shorter than the length of said pockets.

5. The combination with a softener drum, of a concave partially surrounding said drum, a, bunch rolling mechanism including a horizontal bunch rolling table and operating to deliver cigar bunches in a position oblique to the axis of said drum, and a bunch transfer including an oscillatory shaft parallel to the axis of said drum, sets of grippers normally arranged on said shaft to support a bunch in parallelism with the shaft axis, each set of grippers being individually yieldingly mounted on the shaft to yield relatively thereto upon engaging the delivery end of the rolling table and thereby align themselves with the same to receive a cigar bunch, and mechanism for oscillating said shaft to transport the bunch received in said ippers to a position between said concave and drum and permit the grippers to realign the bunch in a position paral- 1 axially displaceable shaft parallel to the axis of said device, sets of grippers normally arranged on said shaft to support a bunch in parallelism with the shaft axis, said sets of grippers being individually yieldingl mounted on the shaft t yield relatively thereto upon engaging the delivery end of the table and thereby align themselves with the same to receive a cigar bunch, and mechanism for oscillating and axially displacing said shaft to transport the bunch received in said grippers to said device and permit the grippers to realign the bunch in a position parallel with the axis of said device and displace it axially into predetermined relation with the locating means.

'7. The combination with a bunch manipulating device, having means for locating the manipulated bunch axially, of bunch rolling mechanism including a curved horizontal bunch rolling table and operating to deliver cigar bunches in a position oblique to and offset from said means, and a bunch transfer including an oscillatory axially displaceable shaft parallel to the axis of said device, sets of grippers normallyarranged on said shaft to support a bunch in parallelism with the shaft axis, said sets of grip-' pers being yleldingly mounted on the shaft to yield relatively thereto upon engaging the delivery end of the curved table and thereby align themselves with the same to -receive a cigar bunch, and mechanism for oscillating and axially displacing said shaft to transport the bunch received in said grippers. to said device and permit the grippers to realign the bunch in a position parallel with the, axis of said device and displace it axially in predetermined relation with the locating mea said last-named mech-i ing its ends terminating below'the top of the.

drum, said concave being spaced sufllciently therefrom to admit cigar bunches between one end of the concave and the drum and press them against the drum, whereby the bunches will be rolled along the concave to the other end thereof, a yielding finger on said other end of the concave arranged to press against the drum the bunches advanced thereunder from the concave and thereby cause them to continue rolling, a bunch locating station, a bunch transfer provided with lower jaws fastened thereon and yieldable upper jaws adapted to admit the bunches therebetween, and mechanism for moving said transfer to carry said Jaws into position to receive a bunch from under said finger and transport it to said bunch locating station.

9. The combination with a rotary turret having shaping pockets whose bottom contour fully conforms to the desired shape of cigar bunches and whose head end is fullyclosed, or a member for effecting the trimming of cigar bunches to a length slightly less than the length of said pockets and inserting the trimmed bunches in successive pockets thereof, a set of covers each having a portion adapted to enter the pockets and provided with an internal contour complementary to said Dockets to fullyshape the head end of bunches inserted therein, and mechanism mounting said covers on the periphery of said turret and adjacent the ends of each of said pockets for radial movement in and out of said pockets to shape bunches therein.

10. The combination with a rotary turret having a plurality of cigar bunch shaping pockets, of a set of covers each having a portion adapted to enter the pockets and provided with an internal contour complementary to said pockets to shape cigar bunches inserted therein, and members supported on said turret and moving therewith for moving said covers radially of said turret in and out of-said pockets, said members including blocks mounted for movement radially of said turret, and arms fastened to the ends of said covers and hinged on said blocks.

11. The combination with a rotary turret having a plurality of cigar bunch shaping pockets, of a set of covers each having a portion adapted to enter the pockets and provided with an internal contour complementary to said pockets to of aset of covers each having a' portion adapted toenter the pockets and provided with an invternal contour complementary to said pockets I to shape cigar bunches inserted therein, members including blocks supported on said turret and moving therewith-for moving said covers radially of said turret in and out of said pockets, arms joining said covers and blocks, a device for moving said blocks radially outward of said turret to permit said arms to fall to one side of said pocket on their hinges and thereby expose the respective pockets, and a stationary stop arranged to engage successive covers and swing them backwardly in the event that said arms should remain upright when said blocks are moved outwardly.

13. The combination with a rotary turret havto enter the pockets and provided with an internal contour complementary to said pockets to shape cigar bunches therein, said pockets being each providedwith an ejector adapted to lift thebunch therefrom, and mechanism for simultaneously moving each cover radially outward and then laterally and moving each ejector outward of the turret to permit removal of the bunches from the pockets.

16. 'A cigar bunch transfer coacting with a bunch rolling table, comprising an oscillatory shaft, sets of grippers normally arranged on said shaft to support a cigar bunch in parallelism with the shaft axis, each set of grippers being yieldingly mounted on the shaft to yield relative thereto upon engaging the delivery end of a bunch rolling table and thereby align themselves with the same to'receive a cigar bunch, and mechanism for oscillating said shaft to transport the bunch received in said grippers and thereby permit the grippers to realign the bunch with the shaft axis while in transit.

17. A cigar bunch transfer for use with a bunch rolling table, comprising an oscillatory axially displaceable shaft, sets of grippers normally arranged on said shaft to support a cigar bunch in parallelism with the shaft axis, each set of grippers being yieldingly mounted on the shaft to yield relatively thereto upon engaging the delivery end of a bunch rolling table and thereby align themselves with the same to receive a cigar ing a plurality of cigar bunch shaping pockets,

of -a set of covers each having a portion adapted to enter the pockets and provided with an internal contour complementary to said pockets to shape cigar bunches inserted therein, mechanism supported on said turret and moving therewith for moving said covers radially of said turret in and out of said pockets, said mechanism including blocks mounted for movement radially of said turret, and arms fastened to the ends of said covers and hinged on said blocks, a device for moving said blocks outward radially of said turret, said turret being provided with slots having a portion extending radially of said turret and a portion oblique from the radial portion adjacent the periphery of the turret, and pins on said arms engaging said slots to swing said covers to one side during the outward movement thereof.

14. The combination with an intermittently rotating turret having a plurality of bunch shaping pockets which are provided with perforations in their bottoms, of an ejector provided with pins adapted to enter the perforations of successive pockets and lift the cigar bunch therefrom, a shaft loosely mounted in the hub of said turret and concentric therewith, connections between said shaft and ejector for imparting outward movement to the latter radially of the turret, and mechanism for turning said shaft to actuate said ejector.

of a set of covers each having a portion adapted bunch, and mechanism for oscillating the shaft to transport the bunch received in said grippers, and thereby permit the grippers to realign the bunch with the shaft axis while in transit and displace the bunch axially into a predetermined position.

18. A cigar bunch transfer for use with a bunch rolling table, comprising an oscillatory axially displaceable shaft, sets of grippers normally arranged on said shaft to support a cigar bunch in parallelism with the shaft axis, each set of grippers being yieldingly mounted on the shaft to yield relatively thereto upon engaging the delivery end of a bunch rolling table and thereby align themselves with the same to receive a cigar bunch, and mechanism for oscillating the shaft to transport the bunch received in said grippers, and thereby permit the grippers to realign the bunch with the shaft axis while in transit and displace the bunch axially into a predetermined position, said mechanism being adjustable to permit the bunches to be displaced axially into the same predetermined position from various shapes of rolling tables.

19. In a cigar machine. the combination with a trimmer, and a movable mount for said trimmer, of a suction intake member normally arranged to remove tobacco clippings from said trimmer, means for moving said mount to locate said trimmer in operative position, means operative when said trimmer has been located at said position for moving said intake into cooperative relation with said trimmer, and mechanism for retracting said member from its operative position.

20. A cigar machine sub-assemblage comprising a housing, a countershaft journaled within and protruding therefrom, the protruding end of said counter shaft being adapted to be connected in driven relation with the main drive of a cigar machine, a drum shaft journaled within said housing and driven from said countershaft and protruding from said housing, a softened drum fastened on said drum shaft, a concave mounted on the exterior of said housing and partially surrounding said drum, a cam enclosed within said housing and driven from said countershaft, a transfer shaft journaled withinsaid housing in parallelism with and oscillated from said cam and protruding from said housing, and sets of grippers yieldingly mounted on said transfer shaft and adapted to receive a cigar bunch and deposit it in a position between said drum and concave.

2l. A cigar machine sub-assemblage comprising a housing, a driven shaft journaled within and protruding from said housing, a cam shaft journaled within said housing and protruding therefrom, sets of grippers mounted on the protruding end of said cam shaft, a drum cam fastened on the portion of said shaft within said housing and provided with a circumferential cam track, said housing having a portion concentric with said cam and provided with a slot extending circumferentially of the cam, and a cam follower engaging said cam track and adjustably fastened in said slot.

22. The combination with a cigar bunch transfer having relatively yielding grippers adapted to admit a cigar bunch therebetween, of a slide, a pair of substantially bunch length shaper jaws including, a fixed and a movable jaw hinged to each other and mounted on said slide for movement therewith, said movable jaw being provided with slots spaced along its free end arranged to admit said grippers, and mechanism for closing said jaws after the grippers have entered said slots to deposit a bunch therein.

23. A cigar machine sub-assemblage comprising a detachably mounted housing, a mold turret journaled in and partially enclosed by said housing, a counter shaft journaled in said housing and protruding therefrom, indexing mechanism driven from said shaft and connected to said turret for intermittently rotating the same, and a clutch member on said shaft adapted to be detachably connected to the main drive of the machine in a single predetermined timed relationship to advance the pockets successively at the proper intervals to stations wherein the bunches are received and ejected.

24. The combination with a rotatable turret provided with a plurality of equally spaced peripheral bunch shaping pockets which are provided with perforations in their bottoms, of an ejector provided with pins adapted to enter the perforations of successive pockets and lift the cigar bunch therefrom, a shaft loosely mounted in the hub of said turret and concentric therewith, connections between said shaft and ejector for imparting outward movement to the latter through the perforations of successive pockets, mechanism for turning said shaft to actuate said ejector, a wheel loosely mounted on said shaft,

and fastened to saidturret, a number of equally spaced rollers on said wheel equal to the number of pockets in said turret, and a continuously rotating driving member provided with a groove arranged to admit said rollers successively therein during each revolution of said member and thereby intermittently advance successive pockets into the range of action of said ejector.

25. The combination with a pair of shaping jaws having flat inner faces provided with a curved longitudinal contour, a slide supporting said jaws, of mechanism moving said slide to close said jaws on a cigar bunch inserted therebetween to compress it to the desired width of a cigar bunch with the ends of the cigar bunch protruding from between the jaws, trimmer assaese knives on one of said jaws, a second slide mounted adjacent said first-named slide for movement relative thereto, and an ejecting device mounted on said second slide for ejecting the compressed bunch from between said jaws past said knives whereby the ends of the compressed bunch will be trimmed.

26. A bunch handling mechanism for use with a bunch shaping device provided with a plurality of spaced pockets comprising a pair of members coacting to compress and partially shape a cigar bunch to a predetermined size, means mounting said members for radial movement towards one of said pockets to dispose said members with said bunch held therein adjacent said pocket,

means for opening said members to release a partially shaped bunch, and means movable radially relative to said pocket for transferring said partially shaped bunch from said open members into said pocket.

27. A bunch shaping mechanism for use with a bunch molding turret having a plurality of peripherally shaped bunch shaping pockets comprising, a support frame, a pair of bunch shaping members, a slide mounting said members in said frame for substantially radial movement to and from said turret, means for locating a bunch to be shaped between said members, means for closing said members on said, bunch to partially shape the same, means for moving said slide to position said members with said bunch held therebetween adjacent one of said pockets, and means movable radially relative to said pocket and between said members for transferring said partially shaped bunch into said pocket.

28. Bunch forming mechanism for use with a cigar bunch shaping device provided with a plurality of spaced bunch shaping pockets comprising, a support spaced from said device, a mount carried by said support and constructed and arranged to be moved substantially perpendicularly to and from said device, a pair of bunch shaping jaws carried by said mount, bunch end trimming knives supported adjacent the ends of one of said jaws, means for positioning a bunch to be shaped in said jaws, means for closing said jaws to partially shape said bunch, means for moving said mount towards one of said aligned pockets to dispose said jaws with said partially shaped bunch held therein adjacent said pocket, and means for ejecting said bunch from said jaws and trimming the ends of the same while it is being moved into said pocket.

29. A bunch shaping mechanism for use with a turret provided with a plurality of spaced peripheral pockets comprising, a slide movable substantially perpendicularly to and from said turret, a fixed jaw member mounted on said slide, a

30. Bunch forming mechanism for use with a bunch shaping device provided with a plurality of spaced shaping pockets comprising, a pair-of preliminary shaping members, including jaws mounted on each of said members, means for effecting relative movement between said members to close the same about a bunch to be shaped, means mounting said members in substantial alignment with a pocket to be filled, means for moving said jaws substantially perpendicularly towards said aligned pocket, means for trimming the ends of said preliminarily shaped bunch, means for positioning said trimmed bunch in said pocket, means mounted on and adjacent the ends of one of said jaws to receive the trimmings of said bunches, and suction means positioned to coact with said jaws when a bunch is to be ejected therefrom for removing said trimmings from said last-named means.

31. The combination with a pair'of members coacting to compress the sides of a cigar bunch to a predetermined width, of means pivotally mounting one of said members on the other for movement into and out of bunch compressing relation, a device for ejecting the compressed bunch from between said members, knives on one of said members arranged to engage and trim the ends of the compressed bunch during the ejection thereof, extensions on said knife supporting member and adjacent each of said knives for holding the trimmings, and suction pipes having inlets constructed and arranged to coact with said knives when said members are in bunch ejecting position for suctionally removing the trimmings from said extensions.

HENRY H. WHEELER. 

